Our $23,000 Flight That Earned No Miles

Please note this site has financial relationships with American Express and this post may contain affiliate links. Read my Advertiser Disclosure policy here to learn more about my partners.

I know it seems sacrilegious for a self-proclaimed point-a-holic to spend $23,000 on a flight that earned zero miles, but almost two years ago we did just that. I’ve been waiting for a while to tell this story, and I think tonight is the right time. Apologies in advance for the length, it is just that kind of story.

Two years ago today we celebrated the birth of our baby, known here as “Little C”. She was due on Christmas Day, which is fitting considering how crazy my family is about Christmas. In fact, her middle name is actually an ode to Christmas. I was in labor for 27 hours (which royally sucked), but other than a little scare with the umbilical cord around her neck when she was born, we had a perfect delivery and a healthy baby girl.

We were discharged home from the hospital on Christmas Day 2009. Like most new parents, we were exhausted, overwhelmed, but excited to begin our life as a family of three. We celebrated Christmas that year at my house in Austin. We were lucky enough to even have my parents temporarily move in with us to help us get settled with our new baby.

When C was four days old, she was due back to the hospital for a newborn check-up. Because of the holidays, the pediatrician’s office was closed, so we had to go back to the labor and deliver floor for that check-up. We could tell that she was somewhat jaundiced, and she had been “difficult” at night, but we thought that was mostly normal. We planned to go up to the hospital for a quick check and then get home in time to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play football on TV. Within minutes of getting to the hospital for the check-up, they drew blood to check her bilirubin levels. A few minutes later, she threw up what appeared to be old blood. Then she did it again. I don’t even remember reacting to that – I think I was in a bit of shock at what was happening. Naturally, the nurse who saw her vomit blood was concerned and phoned downstairs to the ER. She then walked us down (quickly I might add) to the ER to get C looked at. We were no longer at a routine check-up.

I remember in the ER that C was starving and crying, so I went ahead and nursed her. They checked her vitals, but I don’t remember much other than that. I do remember pretty early on that it was clear she was not going to be going home with us that day, and that she was going to have to be admitted to the hospital. Not only that, but she was going to have to be admitted to the Children’s Hospital that was about 90 miles away. I do remember crying some. I remember my husband crying a lot. I sent a text to my mom to let her know what was happening, because I just couldn’t get the words out. I asked her to pack up some overnight things for us, and meet us at the hospital 90 miles away. I remember it being hard to tell her what to pack for me – I had just delivered C four days ago, and the list of things I needed was quite long, but my mind was having trouble focusing on logistics. After we had been waiting for the ambulance transport for about an hour, the doctor came back and said he had “more news”. We had gotten to know all of the nurses that day in the ER and we could see all of them sticking their heads into the door frame as the doctor gave us “more news”. He said that because of the holiday traffic, and the fact that the head of the neonatal ICU is very concerned about a four day old infant vomiting blood, they have sent the neonatal transport team by helicopter to bring her to the hospital. They were to arrive any minute.

The neonatal team arrived and promptly pumped her stomach – the milk I had just fed her was now being pumped back out, and it was all tinged with blood. Of course, C was absolutely hysterical. They couldn’t get an IV in her despite multiple attempts. They then put her in one of those transport containers they put E.T. in when he got really sick. I held her hand through an opening in the container as they prepped her to go to the helicopter. Because of the weight limit, neither of us were permitted to fly with her. It would be fair to say that we were sobbing through much of this – honestly many of the nurses were, too. In fact, one nurse told us that the Vietnam veteran who flew the helicopter was also crying. It was heart-breaking for all of us. We walked with her out to the helicopter pad, and I had to watch my four-day-old baby take-off without me as the nurse, my husband, and I held each other. I can’t tell you how much that hurts. We didn’t know what was wrong with her. We didn’t know what would happen once she got to the hospital. All we knew was she was now in the air heading towards the NICU alone. Her first flight was a $23,000 solo flight at four days old that earned no miles.

My parents actually beat us to the NICU and took a few pictures of us arriving and getting ready to go back and see our baby. My family takes pictures of all things – good or bad. These photos help me remember what that day was like.

The next few days were extremely difficult. They didn’t let her nurse or take a bottle for 24 hours, so she essentially wailed with hunger for 24 hours straight. We couldn’t hold her because she was under bili lights for her jaundice. All we could do is watch our baby scream, and try to rub her to calm her down. The Ronald McDonald House near the hospital graciously took us in so we could stay as close to the hospital as possible. However, since I was a nursing mom, I had to wake up every three hours at night and drive back up to the hospital to pump the milk I was producing. By the time we would get back to sleep it would be time to wake up and do it all over again. The parents in the NICU, ourselves included, all looked like the walking wounded. Still functioning, but yet not.

The short story of what happened over the next few days was that they never found any thing horrifically wrong with her. The best guess of what happened was a very irritated digestive track and/or a lesion that developed and ruptured from her bad reaction to cow protein in my milk. She also had pretty severe acid reflux. We were the lucky ones. During our stay in the NICU we saw many babies who weren’t in near as good a shape as C was. We saw a family there with the chaplain as Last Rites were read for their baby. If that doesn’t impact you as a person, nothing will. If we didn’t know this already, we certainly saw first-hand how fragile and short life can be.

Most thankfully, we got to take C home from the hospital (for the second time) on December 30, 2009. However, much of her first year was very hard. She continued to have real pain after eating, I had to cut out all dairy (amongst other things) from my diet so I could continue nursing her, and to say she had colic would be a dramatic understatement. She would cry though the night and then through much of the day, especially for the first three to four months. She had severe projective spit-up/vomit many times a day for months and months. It was very, very hard. We didn’t travel with her during those months. In fact, it was the furthest thing from our minds for most of the time. We were just trying to survive.

As her first birthday came around, things got much better. She outgrew her digestive issues and we were able to slowly start living, instead of just surviving.

We took our first airplane trip with her when she was eleven months old. And then our second. And third, etc… Today as we celebrate her second birthday, I am just thankful for my healthy, rambunctious, smart, beautiful daughter. For me, birthdays aren’t just a party – they truly are a celebration of birth and of life. I know that not all of the babies in the NICU with her had the gift of being able to celebrate a second birthday. So, when we do birthdays we really celebrate. Today she got a new swing set, rode fake ponies, and even had two real ponies in her backyard. She was thrilled.

I wish we could have really enjoyed more of our time with her as a newborn, but I am also certain that what we all went through made us individually and collectively stronger. I think it also is part of what drives me to keep her connected to family around the country (and as a result, obsessed with earning the miles and points to be able to do that). I am certain the experience has helped shape who C is as a person. I mean, how many people can say they flew as an “unaccompanied minor” at four days old? Also, it is because of our experience and the generosity of the Ronald McDonald House when we needed it most, that we have selected the Ronald McDonald House to be the official charity of Mommy Points for 2012. A portion of the proceeds of this site will very happily be given to that charity that helped us on our darkest day. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be in a position now to help “pay it forward” to other families who need a place to stay near their babies that are in the hospital.

Happy birthday, C. Here’s to many, many more.

Oh and one more thing Little C, if you ever have a $23,000 flight again, please be sure you are on a mileage earning fare.

[…] Christmas time last year (and who can blame you?!), a few days before Christmas my little toddler turned two years old. We had a great party complete with ponies in the backyard. It was a blast. However, I know […]

[…] dreamed the market would nose dive right after we bought it! However, once our kiddo was born and had some issues, it quickly became apparent we had to move close to family at any cost. So, we said to heck with […]

[…] several months of her life. In fact, I went through quite an ordeal with pumping when she was life-flighted to the NICU at three days old. Not to gross out any non-parent readers, but milk doesn’t immediately stop being produced […]

[…] our swim suits, we made our way to a tiny spot of paradise. My in-laws, near whom we moved when C first had trouble, live across the way from the best neighbors one might hope for. When their children were young, […]

[…] our control or desires, our daughter spent several nights away from us at three days old. I spoke some about that on her second birthday. I know it sounds sort of corny and ridiculous, but getting through that episode really set all […]

[…] fond of would qualify for 3x points. I did a test donation of $10 to the Ronald McDonald House (the charity this site is very proudly supporting for 2012) as well as a test $25 loan via my micro-lending organization of choice. That loan was processed […]

This brought tears to my eyes, first of sadness and then of joy. Little C seems like such an amazing, vibrant little girl– whoever would have guessed that she faced such a tough struggle when she was so tiny! So wonderful of you to pay it forward to the people who helped you get through it all! Happy birthday to Little C and Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!!

First of all, Happy Birthday “Little C”
What has happened to 4 day old C was really horrifying. My eyes literally got wet and I am very glad that God was with you. All MP readers wish her a very happy birthday.

Thanks for sharing! I was crying!!! So happy God brought you through that tough experience and blessed you with such a gift. Our children are truly the best gifts of life. I can’t imagine life without them. It’s so rich and incredible. Enjoy your little C and your holiday time!
Merry Christmas!

Great to hear your child is doing well. Ironically McD’s junk food and similar animal products cause the problems that she had … so out of guilt they created these Ronald McDonald Houses. Sadly so many children are sick or even dead due to their “products”.

We just had our first baby on June 3rd and he spent 10 days in the NICU. He was due on July 13, so he was a little early (my wife ended up with very severe pre-eclampsia). I understand how hard this was for you and am very glad everything turned out well.

We ended up very lucky and our little guy did awesome. The rest of the families in the NICU made us realize how lucky we were. One family had twins (only one in the NICU) and they were getting to do a procedure that if it went well the baby might get to leave in 6 months (the baby had been there since December). The experience made me realize how much of a miracle a healthy baby really is.

About Summer

Well, I am a married mom in my mid-30's. I have two rock star, adorable, beautiful, fantastic, mischievous, humorous, smarter-than-my-own-good girls. One is currently 7 going on 17 and the other is closing in on her 2nd birthday. I am obsessed with my adorable and insane kiddos, and also obsessed with earning and using airline and hotel points and miles to show them the world on a budget we can afford. Learn more about Summer

Advertiser Disclosure: Most of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which MommyPoints.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. This site has financial relationships with Chase, American Express, Citibank, Barclaycard, and US Bank. Please view our advertising policy page for more information.

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author's alone and have not been reviewed or endorsed by any company or third party unless clearly stated otherwise.